{"id":7868,"date":"2020-03-26T09:57:55","date_gmt":"2020-03-26T13:57:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/?p=7868"},"modified":"2020-03-28T11:46:37","modified_gmt":"2020-03-28T15:46:37","slug":"fighting-fear-with-gods-presence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/fighting-fear-with-gods-presence\/","title":{"rendered":"Fighting Fear with God’s Presence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you remember what it was like to be a child? Do you remember all the scary new things that you had to overcome?<\/p>\n

Like riding a bike without training\u00a0wheels<\/span>
\n<\/span>Or learning to swim and to jump into the deep end where your feet were never going to\u00a0<\/span>touch the bottom of the pool
\n<\/span>Or going into the dark basement where you couldn\u2019t see anything<\/p>\n

I definitely remember times like that. I was never the overly adventurous\u00a0child<\/span>\u00a0that was willing to jump without looking. I was the cautious<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0let\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>think\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>through<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0type of child. For example, when my brother was wanting to go to the skate park and learn to do tricks on roller blades and scooters, I remember thinking things like, \u201cWhy would I ever want to try and do tricks over concrete with metal\u00a0<\/span>rails? Would it be cool? Sure, b<\/span>ut there\u2019s no way I avoid breaking a bone before getting there!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0W<\/span>hen my brother wanted to go 4 wheeling, I found it more comforting to just sleep in the back of the jeep with my head bouncing around<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0than to look out the window at the precarious situations<\/span>\u00a0we were in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As you can imagine, my childhood was filled with a fair amount of fearful experiences with my\u00a0less-than-<\/span>adventurous outlook o<\/span>n life. W<\/span>hat I do remember<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0that made a big difference in doing scary difficult things like jumping into the deep end of the pool or going into a dark room, was the assurance of my dad or mom\u00a0<\/span>being\u00a0<\/span>with me.<\/span>\u00a0When Mom or D<\/span>ad was with me, although it was still scary<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the fear no longer was the biggest reality to me\u2014rather my\u00a0<\/span>parents\u2019<\/span>\u00a0presence was more real<\/span>. This<\/span>\u00a0allowed me\u00a0<\/span>to take the training wheels off and to jump into the deep end of the pool.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s the same kind of encouragement that God\u00a0gave<\/span>\u00a0to H<\/span>is people all throughout Scripture\u00a0<\/span>in order\u00a0<\/span>to help them overcome their fears<\/span>. And that\u2019s the same encouragement\u00a0<\/span>H<\/span>e gives to us<\/span>\u00a0to fight<\/span>\u00a0fear.<\/span><\/p>\n

God Promises His Presence<\/strong>\u00a0Throughout Scripture<\/span><\/h2>\n

God\u2019s promise to be with\u00a0H<\/span>is people begins all the way back in Genesis. In\u00a0<\/span>Genesis 28<\/span>:15<\/span>\u00a0God says to Jacob in a dream,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cBehold,\u00a0<\/span>I am with you<\/span>\u00a0and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.\u00a0<\/span>For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That promise came to Jacob at a very important time in Jacob\u2019s life. He was on the run from his brother who wanted to kill him.\u00a0Not only that, bu<\/span>t it was his father\u2019s death t<\/span>hat his brother Esau was\u00a0<\/span>waiting for in order to seize an opportunity to kill Jacob.\u00a0<\/span>Therefore, Jacob not only had to flee his home, leave hi<\/span>s mother<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and flee<\/span>\u00a0his brother\u2019s hatred, he also had\u00a0<\/span>just\u00a0<\/span>lost his<\/span>\u00a0relationship with his<\/span>\u00a0father.\u00a0<\/span>Jacob must have felt completely and utterly a<\/span>lone, and that\u2019s when God made H<\/span>is presence especially known to Jacob<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>How sweet God\u2019s promise of H<\/span>is presence is<\/span>\u2014<\/span>He will not leave until\u00a0<\/span>He\u2019s accomplished what H<\/span>e promised!<\/span><\/p>\n

In\u00a0Exodus<\/span>\u00a04:12 and 15<\/span>, God promises Moses, who is fearful about his calling to go speak to Pharaoh<\/span>, that\u00a0<\/span>\u201cHe will be with his mouth and teach him what to speak.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>God\u2019s presence is the answer to our inadequacy<\/span>\u00a0(as Moses was complaining about),<\/span>\u00a0and it\u2019s the answer to our fear! Moses learned this lesson so well that after he had\u00a0<\/span>led<\/span>\u00a0the people out of\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Israel<\/span>\u00a0he\u00a0spoke to\u00a0the Lord\u00a0saying,\u00a0\u201cIf Your presence\u00a0will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people?\u00a0Is it not in Your going with us,\u00a0so that we are distinct, I and Your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?\u201d\u00a0(Exodus 33:15\u201316)<\/span><\/p>\n

I love how Moses boils down what makes God\u2019s people unique and distinct from everyone else\u2014it\u2019s the presence of God with us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout Scripture God promises to be with us. Here are just a few more samplings that might be helpful for you to study and meditate on further:<\/p>\n

Joshua 1:5\u20139\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

5\u00a0<\/em>\u201c<\/span>…Just as I was with Moses,\u00a0<\/span>so I will be with you<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>I will not leave you or forsake you<\/span>. 6\u00a0<\/span>Be strong and courageous<\/span>, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7\u00a0<\/span>Only be strong and very courageous<\/span>, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you<\/span>?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Isaiah 41:10\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

10\u00a0<\/em>\u201c<\/span>fear not<\/span>, for I am with you<\/span><\/strong>;\u00a0<\/span>be not dismayed<\/span>, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will he<\/span>lp you, I will uphold you with M<\/span>y righteous right hand.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Isaiah 43:5\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

5\u00a0<\/em>\u201c<\/span>Fear not<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>for I am with you<\/span>; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah 1:8\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

8\u00a0<\/em>\u201c<\/span>Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah 1:19\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

19\u00a0<\/em>\u201c<\/span>They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you,\u00a0<\/span>for I am with you<\/span>, declares the LORD, to deliver you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah 15:20 | Jeremiah 30:11 | Jeremiah 42:11 | Jeremiah 46:28<\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew 28:19\u201320<\/strong><\/p>\n

19\u00a0<\/em>\u201c<\/span>Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold,\u00a0<\/span>I am with you always<\/span>, to the end of the age.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

God\u2019s Presence in 2020<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In this season of uncertainty with COVID19\u00a0there are all kinds of f<\/span>ears and concerns we might have:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>f<\/span>ears<\/span>\u00a0involving fina<\/span>ncial security, fears about health, fears about\u00a0<\/span>how others are going to respond during these times, fears about not being able to visit or see loved ones, fears about\u00a0<\/span>being alone because of the quarantine and shelter in place orders, fears about special events like weddings being postponed for who knows how long,\u00a0<\/span>and on and on it goes.<\/span>\u00a0Those are all real concerns. Those are all things that are legitimately being threatened. But wh<\/span>at is it<\/span>\u00a0that\u2019s going to help us battle that fear and get to a place of courage<\/span>\u00a0and encouragement rat<\/span>her than fear and dismay<\/span>? It\u2019s going to be the reality that\u00a0<\/span>in the midst of COVID19, God is with us.<\/span><\/p>\n

Think about Psalm 91. The psalmist declares in v.2 that the LORD is\u00a0<\/span>\u201cmy\u00a0<\/span>refuge and\u00a0<\/span>my\u00a0<\/span>fortress<\/span>, my God in whom I trust.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>And then notice what kind of things the psalmist is trusting\u00a0<\/span>his God to be his fortress and refuge from:<\/span><\/p>\n